Survive
by swff
Summary: Aayla Secura survives an initial ambush by clone troopers, but her troubles have only just begun as she prepares to confront the newly-appointed Darth Vader and legions of enemies.


_Planet Felucia_

 _Niango Region_

 _Year 19 BBY_

 _Weebo-weebo!_

Jedi general Aayla Secura crouched behind a giant blue flower, her figure shrouded in the dense yellow mist caused by the spore clouds. The Twi'lek removed a hologram that was beeping from her belt.

The ghost-like holoimage of Barriss Offee bloomed in front of her, and Secura dipped her head slightly in greeting.

"Aayla - have you made contact with the Padawans?" The hooded Mirialan Jedi was frowning slightly and the other woman mirrored her expression.

"No, Barriss. We're in Niango. I suspect the droids here are jamming the signal, I haven't heard from any of them in some time." Aayla was referring to Padawans Zonder, Ekria and Drake Lo'gaan.

Offee nodded slightly. "Very well. Once you dispatch the droids in Niango, perhaps things will clear up and we can find out what's going on. Lieutenant Galle and I will finish up here in Har Gau and join you in Jiaozi with the others."

Secura returned the nod, then hesitated. "Of course. And, Barriss...be careful. I sense _something_ is amiss here." She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was _something_ nudging her in the Force - some sort of danger, and not the kind usually found in a day's worth of battle.

Barriss nodded a final time, her hands folded assuringly at her waist. "May the Force be with you." The holoimage faded out, and Aayla returned the unit to her belt.

"Bly." Secura stood up from her crouching position and emerged from behind the giant flower, her eyes rising to survey the camp site in front of her.

Clone commander Bly and his legion of troopers - the 327th Star Corps - were scattered across the dense Felucian jungle. Some were loading into AT-OT walkers, others were checking their weapons, while still more were simply relaxing and engaging in idle chatter.

Bly immediately turned to acknowlege his general, dark eyebrows raising up in question. "Yes sir?"

Aayla moved towards him, one hand on her exposed hip, the other twirling the leather memory-cord that hung from her pants.

"The droids are close - we need to get moving. The sooner we take them out, the sooner we'll have contact with the Padawans. I don't think it's the spores causing the inteference." She gestured to indicate the yellow orbs floating around the clearing.

Bly nodded, slipping on his helmet once more. "We'll get them, General." He turned back to the crowds of troopers moving about the jungle. "Men - _form up!_ Let's get moving."

The Twi'lek Jedi moved quietly and quickly through the fungal brush, as her clone troopers fell in behind her and the AT-OTs began clearing a path again. With each step they shook the ground, and exotic, colorful birds flew from their homes in the giant trees. Privately, Secura wished they could hurry from this planet, because she hated seeing nature disturbed by war. But something told her the damage to the environment would have to get worse before it got better.

In her right hand was her lightsaber.

* * *

 _"Execute Order 66."_

The order was issued inside the helmets of Bly and the other clones, and Secura was oblivious to the danger. It caused those of the 327th Star Corps great pain to hear those words, but their loyalty was ultimately to the Supreme Chancellor, and not their Jedi commander.

Coincidentally, Aayla spotted the droid force in the distance as they entered a vast clearing. Leading the Separatist battalion were several OG-9 spider homing droids, and Aayla realized the Republic was about to engage in a rough battle. She would lose a good portion of her men if she didn't take out those spider walkers first. She stopped walking, lightsaber outstretched in her right hand, preparing to give orders-

Her mind was so preoccupied with the battle plan she almost missed the subtle nudge from the Force. It was like something brushed against her skull, and she turned her head towards the danger, just as a stray bird burst from the trees. It's cry startled her.

Her eyes fell next on Bly, who was at her right shoulder. _Why was he pointing his blaster at her - ?!_

Her body reacted before she realized what was happening, just as he fired off his first shot. The lightsaber sprang to life and connected with the blast as she swung up, knocking the shot back towards Bly.

The blue blaster ray exploded in his face, instantly melting his helmet and sending him backwards. She had no time to reflect on his death, however, because she had twelve more bolts coming at her.

Aayla turned her back to the approaching droid army and focused on the unbelievable attack that was unfolding in front of her. Her brain couldn't comprehend what was happening, so she simply _went with it_ , her arms moving to raise the lightsaber in front of her body. She had one thought - _survive._

More of her clones fell as the energy beams sank into their armored bodies. Sometimes a shot would connect and kill immediately, but sometimes it wouldn't. The barrage of fire lasted for only perhaps two seconds, but she knew she live if she didn't move.

To her right an AT-OT fired, and Secura thought she was finished. But, the aim had been a fraction off - and the beam exploded somewhere beside her. The shock wave from the resulting blast lifted her off her feet and vegetation rained down around her. Secura stopped herself in mid-air and used the Force to push off the clones around her, sending her body flying back and the clones flying in the opposite direction.

 _"Uumph!"_

The Twi'lek landed in a pile of mushrooms several feet away. She winced as her back slammed into the wet ground, but then she was up, springing to her feet with cat-like reflexes and pulling the lightsaber back into her hand with the Force.

A bolt connected with her right leg and she gasped, her hand shooting down the cover the burn and squash the smoke emerging from her pants. She turned and fled into the thick jungle of plants, gasping for air and not looking back to see how many clones were following.

Blaster fire ripped through the giant flowers that provided protection. Sometimes a bolt would zip past her head, narrowly missing the two thick lekku that were swingingly wildly behind her. Secura crouched slightly as she ran, her mind racing to come up with the next move that would save her life. If she could outpace the clones, perhaps they would become distracted by the droid attack, and hunt for her after the battle.

So, Aayla did the only thing that made sense in the situation - she did the thing the Force told her to do.

She ran _towards_ the Separatist army.


End file.
